Physicians In Ontario Begin Strike

May 30, 1986|By United Press International

TORONTO — Thousands of doctors began a two-day strike in Canada's most populous province Thursday, closing offices and canceling non-emergency surgery in a showdown over a proposed law to limit fees, organizers said.

The Ontario Medical Association, representing 17,000 physicians, said it did not know right away how many doctors were taking part in the protest but it believed there were thousands.

A spokesman said, ''We expect good, solid support across the province.''

The association urged its members to strike to protest a proposed provincial law that would levy fines up to $10,000 on doctors who charge more than fees set under public health insurance. The medical association said the strike was over ''professional freedoms stripped away for political reasons.'' Many of Ontario's 220 hospitals prepared for the strike, with some adding to the nursing staff. They reported a decline in non-emergency operations but maintained emergency services.

The renowned Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto reported a 55 percent drop in non-emergency surgery and said some outpatient clinics operated at 30 percent to 40 percent of normal volume.